Restoration
by Mystical Authoress
Summary: Post-game AU. Count Arganan barely survived his suicidal attempt to harness the Outsider's power for his own. After being unconscious for an entire week, he finally wakes up...and it's not just that he lost his position of power in Lazulis, but he gained the Outsider's power. That might actually be a good thing for him, as he'll discover while trying to recover from everything.
1. Unexpected Gain

**Author note: I do not own the Last Story, nor do I own Count Arganan or any of the other characters...**

**What if Calista had been able to drag her uncle Count Arganan away from the Lazulis half of the Outsider before it could destroy his life and sanity? What happened after that? Could this give Calista and her uncle a chance to finally get on terms with each other? I found it incredibly heartbreaking that Count Arganan and Calista never got the chance to try to sit down and talk over things in the Last Story, so this is my take on what could have happened. **

**Warning: Post-game, spoilers, Zaelista, Count Arganan-centric, mentioned onesided Count ArgananxCalista's mother, other pairings, possible violence**

**Constructive Criticism would really be appreciated, and I hope that you read, review and enjoy! Thanks! XD**

* * *

><p><em>Restoration<em>

* * *

><p><em>1. Unexpected gain<em>

* * *

><p>He remembered being dragged away from the Outsider when he woke up.<p>

_"Uncle, please!"_

His head immediately hurt after Calista's voice resounded in his head. He wanted to put a hand to his head, but found that he could barely move. He tried to shift about on whatever he was lying on (he was sure he was in a bed, in his own room), but he really couldn't move much, which was annoying-and painful.

He felt like he was nearly lifeless, his very form made up of nothing but skin and bones-

...wait...where was his metal arm? And leg? And his eyepatch was off, too, and the one white glove he wore on his right hand. The Count normally didn't sleep with the arm and leg unattached to his form (though of course he would take off the eyepatch and glove because it was uncomfortable with it otherwise-the metal limbs were something he had gotten used to over time, lots of time). He took a sideglance to his left and noticed the limbs propped up against the nightstand, the glove and eyepatch on top of the stand. At least he knew for sure that he was certainly in his room, which thankfully wasn't wrecked by the Gurak attacks.

How did he get here? Did he pass out? How long had he been unconscious and in bed? The questions just kept attacking his mind, which made his head hurt even more. He tried to bear with it, though, trying to ignore it the best he could.

He tried to move his arms and legs (technically arm and leg since the metal limbs weren't attached to him) again, only for pain to shoot through his entire body. He let out grunt, gritting his teeth as he decided to try not to move so much, opting to see if he could move smaller body parts like his ankle and wrist. He didn't want his body being completely useless-he had enough of feeling that his body was too useless for his use after losing his left eye, arm and leg.

_Move..._

He tried to force his right arm to move, and he found himself silently begging himself to move in some way. He didn't want to be completely disabled-he had already suffered his fill in a war several years back-that was what resulted in the loss of his left limbs and eye.

_Please move...please...I cannot be paralyzed, I can't..._

All of a suddenly, warmth seemed to radiate from his right hand, and he gasped in surprise at the feeling. It seemed to consume his hand entirely, gently trickling up his arm and pouring throughout his veins, as if telling him that he was still somewhat able. He hesitantly moved his hand from underneath the covers and found that he could move it. Slowly moving his arm upwards to test it, the covers fell away...

...and on the back of his right hand was the cross shaped mark of the Outsider, glowing not just its usual light blue colour, but shifting to red, then to green, and then blue again.

_What?_

The Outsider's Power? How could it be that he had this!? It nearly killed him, as far as he could remember now, and-

The door opened, and he looked up to see none other than Calista and Zael enter the room. Calista's eyes widened as she rushed over to him.

"Uncle!? You're awake and..." She stared at his glowing hand. "You...you have the Outsider's power!?"

Zael also rushed over to him, staring at Arganan's hand as well. "Count Arganan..." He seemed at a loss for words.

Arganan winced as he felt his head throb in pain, before trying to speak up.

"...What...happened...?" He managed weakly, hating how hoarse he sounded. "Did-did the Outsider-"

"Uncle, don't speak. Please." Calista tried to push his arm back down as she spoke. "You still need to rest. Your body...the Outsider nearly killed you, and could have if I hadn't pulled you away from it in time. You've been unconscious for a week."

He looked up from gazing at the no longer glowing mark on his hand to lock gazes with Calista, intending on speaking, but stayed silent as soon as he realized her expression was completely full of concern. If he spoke, she would just keep fussing over him as it was at the moment.

He stayed silent. Better to save the energy than to try to get into a hopeless argument with his niece.

Well then. Obtaining the Outsider's power was certainly an unexpected gain from his attempt to get the Outsider to attack the Gurak fortress.

But...how in the world did he even get it? He nearly slipped into complete unconsciousness with that question on his mind.


	2. Dumb Luck

_2. Dumb luck_

He was still stuck in his room a week after he woke up. When he had tried to harness the Outsider's power during the war against the Gurak, he ended up with countless injuries and a state of near-death, which explained why he had been unconscious for a complete week after that ordeal.

Because of the fact that Arganan was unable to rule, Calista had officially taken over as Countess and ruler of Lazulis. The Count didn't like this-he still had his title as Count now, but...but it didn't really come with any power anymore. But he had the Outsider's power still, to somewhat make up for it.

Despite now having the Outsider's power, Arganan still had to stay in bed and rest, recover from all of this because he really did realize that his body did take a lot of damage from trying to directly control the Outsider. It was not a joyful time for him, really. Calista would visit him at times, fuss over his injuries and stuff, Zael would also visit but they didn't talk much while he tended to Arganan's wounds, and Sir Therius was assigned to constantly guard his room.

He had no privacy at all, really. He was starting to have a feeling that this could be what Calista felt whenever he confined her to the castle-trapped with no place to hide.

And considering that he was stuck in his room, well...

It just wasn't really that pleasant.

Well, it wasn't completely unpleasant, though, considering that he had something to mess with-the Outsider's power that he gained, that is. So, he tried to do things with it. He tried to see if it could do anything useful for him, such as helping him heal up faster so he wouldn't be confined to his room all hours of the day.

He hadn't really gotten anywhere with the Outsider's power, unfortunately, and it was obviously frustrating.

He happened to be trying to test out the Outsider's power again when he heard voices from outside-Sir Therius' voice, and another that was gravelly and unrecognizable.

_"You wish to talk with Count Arganan?" _Therius sounded surprised.

_"Of course I do, Sir Therius." _The stranger held a bit of a hiss in his voice when saying Therius' name. _"If you do not believe I merely came to chat with him, I will leave both my swords with you. All I ask is for a word in private with the Count."_

Therius was silent, before Arganan heard him speaking again. _"Very well, Lord Zesha. You may speak with Count Arganan...provided that he is awake."_

Arganan quickly lay in bed, throwing the covers over himself and pretending to be asleep, not wanting to talk with the Gurak King of all people. He was aware that Zesha, former right-hand man of Lord Zangurak, had survived the war and now took over as King of the Gurak in Zangurak's place. He was also aware that Zesha still held a grudge towards humans mainly because of his brother's death at their hands.

So...whatever Zesha wanted to talk to him about probably wasn't going to be nice.

He heard the door open and close, footsteps resounding through the room. Count Arganan couldn't see Zesha, but he could still sense his presence, the Gurak King standing right by his bedside.

"So...you survived, human."

Zesha's voice came out in a snarl. Apparently he didn't seem to care whether Arganan was asleep or not to start talking to him. Arganan kept his eyes closed, but couldn't help but pay attention. Unlike the usual threatening tone that came from the former right-hand man of Zangurak, this one sounded even more threatening. But Arganan could sense something added to it-something towards somberness.

"I was hoping that you died when you tried to harness the Outsider's power directly. Fools like you-fools with such selfish intentions-should just die. Fools like you are unworthy to touch the Outsider, let alone be near it. And yet...and yet the Outsider gave you its power."

Before Arganan could realize what was going to happen, he felt his right hand being grabbed, and he instinctively let out a pained yelp at the crushing grip. He looked up at Zesha to glare at him.

The Gurak King chuckled a bit, his expression of malicious mirth as his gaze went from the Outsider's mark on Arganan's hand to the former Count's face. "So you were awake after all, Count Arganan. I should have known."

"What do you want!?" Arganan growled as he struggled to pull his arm away from the Gurak King, failing to do so. "I thought that with you hating humans so much you would want to avoid as much contact with them as you could.."

Zesha glared at him. "Being King of the Gurak has its disadvantages." He snapped back, finally letting go of Arganan's hand. "And I came here to tell you that you had some dumb luck to be able to survive trying to harness the Outsider's power directly. No ordinary person like you should be able to survive that."

He turned, walking towards the door as if about to leave, but he turned towards Arganan again, still speaking.

"The fact that you survived is extraordinary. You better be expecting me to keep an eye on you as much as I can for the next few weeks while I am here."

He then left, slamming the door behind him.

Arganan frowned at that, glancing at the Outsider's mark on his hand. Now it wasn't going to be just Calista and everyone in the castle keeping an eye on him, it was the King of the Gurak, too. What did he do to deserve this, to be watched like a hawk watches its prey!? How ridiculous!

Then again...Zesha said that Arganan's survival was extraordinary. There might be more to the new King of the Gurak than he thought.

But then again Zesha hated humans and naturally saw them as inferior to his kind, so he might have been trying to insult him.

Arganan sighed, lying back onto the bed and trying to actually sleep this time. Only time would tell what Zesha was really after.


	3. Responsible

_3. Responsible_

Arganan was still confined to his room. And it was already two weeks after he woke up.

Why? Because of the still-healing countless injuries he had.

And no, apparently he couldn't use the Outsider's power to make himself heal faster which was annoying.

Arganan tried using the Outsider's power to heal himself, or to levitate something, but apparently he couldn't do that either. So that was also frustrating.

Therius noticed Arganan's frustration as he stepped into the room. Arganan noticed that Therius noticed, but was otherwise unaware of Therius' presence as he tried to use the Outsider's power to heal up a cut he'd made on his wrist by accident from trying to see if he could make a penknife levitate in midair.

"Count Arganan, are you alright?"

Arganan looked up to see the White Knight, sighing. "Aside from the fact that the Outsider's power is completely useless to me, the King of the Gurak and my niece as well as others are watching me like hawks and that I have been confined to my room for the past two weeks? Fine." He responded sarcastically, glaring slightly at the White Knight.

Therius seemed to frown slightly as he approached Arganan with bandages for his wrist. "I apologize for hurting you in any way, Count Arganan..."

"You didn't mean it," The older man muttered, glancing to the Outsider's mark on his hand. "I don't...understand why the Outsider would have given me its power. I can't do anything with it. I can't heal myself, obviously, I can't make things float around, I...it just doesn't do anything when I try to use it."

The White Knight looked to the Outsider's mark. "Perhaps it wasn't meant to act as a power source. Maybe it just wanted to remind you that if you tried something like harnessing the Outsider's power again that it would, for sure, kill you the next time around."

It was Arganan's turn to frown at something. "But that doesn't make any sense. It gave me the ability to move my right arm when I first woke up. I saw it flashing several colours during that time-I think it was from red, to blue, and then to the white colour it has now. It hasn't done anything since, though."

Therius paused, looking up at Arganan. "Count Arganan, if that is the case...perhaps the Outsider's power works for you in a different way other than how Zael used it, to revive any fallen allies and lure enemies away. It most likely functions differently, depending on the user. I believe you should remember this. No matter what kind of power you may have, those who bear power must also accept the responsibility that comes with it."

Therius left after making sure Arganan would be alright. The Count guessed that Therius was probably going to report to Calista about her uncle's wellbeing, and probably would mention Arganan's expressed frustration about the useless Outsider's power to Therius as well.

Arganan sighed, glancing at the Outsider's mark on his hand.

_Why...?_

* * *

><p>A day or two passed after his conversation with Therius, and Arganan was finally allowed to go outside his room. He savoured the fresh air from outside in the Courtyard-it felt so long ever since he'd been outdoors. Walking through the courtyard, he stopped as soon as he noticed Zesha, arguing with Calista.<p>

"I'm telling you again, Lord Zesha, no." Calista spoke, glaring at him. "My uncle only just fully recovered from his injuries. I'm not letting you duel him in a state like that. And I don't know when the last time he ever fought was-it could be years ago. All I know is that he lost those limbs in a war, and I doubt he would want to fight again!"

Zesha seemed to glare at her in disapproval of her decision, but didn't say anything at first. He then spoke up, turning to Count Arganan, immediately sensing his presence.

"What about your uncle's opinion?"

Count Arganan felt the need to be suspicious. What in the world had they been talking about!?

"My opinion about what, Lord Zesha?"

Calista turned to see him. "Uncle..."

"A duel." Zesha spoke up, interrupting Calista. "I request a duel between the two of us, Count Arganan. I've done my research on your past activities on the war before the war we Gurak had with you humans over the Outsider. Don't you say that you have no reason to fight."

Arganan grimaced slightly at this. He did not want to remember fighting in that war. That war cost him two of his limbs and one of his eyes, and gave him too many scars in return.

"Can we not delay this to a later time, at least? As Calista just said, I only just fully recovered. It wouldn't be a fair fight to do it now, would it?"

Zesha tilted his head somewhat, like a curious child would. "If you put it that way, you have a point. Very well, then. We will fight in a week from now." Saying nothing else, the Gurak King turned on his heel and walked away.

Calista shook her head, turning to her uncle. "Uncle, do you know what you're getting into!? Zesha...he's not any ordinary soldier..."

"I'm aware, Calista."

_And I'll...definitely need to relearn everything fighting-wise if I really am going to go against Zesha. _

_I need help. I need Therius' help._


	4. Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

_4. Two Steps Forward, One Step Back_

Sir Therius had been initially surprised when Count Arganan asked if he could help him train for a duel against Zesha.

Count Arganan had no doubt about two things.

The first was that Therius was probably thinking that he was crazy to accept a challenge to duel Zesha in only a week after being fully recovered from his injuries.

The second was that he really needed to make sure that he was listening carefully to Therius' instructions, otherwise he was going to screw up everything he ever learned in terms of swordfighting.

Therius sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time. "Count Arganan, your wrist position..."

Arganan bit his lower lip in frustration, adjusting his wrist so that it was at the proper position as he stabbed forwards with his rapier into the practice, unmoving dummy in front of him.

Both of them were utterly frustrated with the lack of progress Arganan had. That was obvious.

And both of them were sick of it, especially Arganan. That was also obvious.

Sir Therius seemed to hesitate before speaking.

"Perhaps we should stop for today, Count Arganan..."

Arganan shook his head, turning to him. "We can't just stop here for today." He spoke up, though he was aware his voice sounded weak. He knew that there was just so much more to relearn after not having been in practice of the sword for at least a decade, if he wasn't mistaken in the numbers. "Zesha is going to duel me in a week. I don't have much time to slack or be this slow. I can't keep going two steps forward and one step back. It's ridiculous."

Therius appeared to be silent, an apathetic look on his face. Arganan internally growled in frustration as he continued.

"I need to learn quickly and perfect it, and I know you're the only person that can teach me, Sir Therius. Please, we need to continue. Until I collapse and vomit if needed."

A spark of surprise seemed to appear in Therius' eyes, but the white knight merely nodded in response.

"As you command, Count Arganan." The white knight paused, before speaking again. "Since you will be dueling against Lord Zesha, I believe that we should try to duel each other as to simulate the event."

Arganan nodded, taking out his sword and holding it properly, remembering the wrist positions for once. Therius took a few steps away from him before turning, taking out his rapier and holding his sword with both hands. The two were silent, and Therius silently mouthed a word to him.

_Begin._

The white knight rushed at Arganan, swinging his rapier at the Count's chest. Arganan immediately blocked it as best as he could with his sword, before twisting his sword around and trying to stab at Therius, only to be blocked by the shield attached to Therius' other arm. The two jumped back a bit, before rushing at each other and exchanging blows again with their blades, neither one of them yielding to the other just yet.

That was when the Outsider's mark on Arganan's hand started glowing a soft white, before turning to blue.

"What the..."

Arganan stumbled back as he felt his body light up on fire. He wasn't literally on fire, but it felt like it. He winced in pain, biting his lower lip and closing his one good eye as the invisible flames trickled all over his body, all over his face, his arms, his chest, everywhere.

Suddenly, he didn't feel any pain. He opened his eye, looking down to see that his entire body was glowing a faint bluish-white.

Therius stared at him. "Count Arganan, you're..."

"Sir Therius, I am aware I'm glowing, but what does this..." Arganan couldn't help but stare at himself. "What does this mean!?"

Therius still had a confused look on his face. "I do not know, Count Arganan. Zael would know better about how the power of the Outsider works. Try attacking me. Maybe that would give you a hint."

Arganan nodded, lunging forwards and slashing at Therius. The white knight only barely managed to put up his shield in time to block the block, and Arganan noticed that he was even pushing Therius back a bit from the force of the blow. Therius then tried to stab at him, only for Arganan to completely sidestep the attack, as if he'd been expecting it for the past ten seconds.

The only problem was that while sidestepping the attack he tripped over his own feet, falling forwards and bringing the white knight down with him.

Arganan felt himself hit Therius as he fell, and felt the impact of hitting the ground through Therius. The white knight let out a grunt of pain from landing onto the ground on his back as well as Arganan being on top of him, before speaking up.

"Count Arganan...are you alright?"

Arganan tried to move his left arm, but soon realized something, speaking up in response.

"Um...not counting the fact that your sword is impaled straight through my left arm, I'm fine."

Therius winced as he looked to Arganan's left arm. "...At least it wasn't the right arm."

The older man nodded, noticing that he wasn't glowing anymore. He felt the strength he once had leave him, and Arganan felt weak the instant it did. "True," He managed, struggling to slowly get up so that the knight could slip out from underneath him and help him up. "It could be worse." Therius started to remove Arganan's metal arm, and Arganan figured it was to help them both get untangled and so they didn't impale themselves on Therius' sword stuck in Arganan's metal arm by accident.

Before Therius could speak up, that was when Zesha's voice came out of nowhere, his voice in a sing-song sort of tone.

"My...a rather compromising position, hm?"

"L-Lord Zesha!" Therius struggled to continue to remove Arganan's metal arm while also trying to pay attention to Zesha. It was more than obvious that the white knight was mortified that the King of the Gurak was here to see them both in such an awkward situation. "I-I...we..."

Arganan took the liberty of glaring at Zesha, who was obviously laughing a bit as he leaned against the doorway. "Don't you dare think of this in such a way! It...it is merely a training accident!"

"A training accident?" The Gurak King was obviously in hysterics by now. "A-And it results in you requiring you both to be so physically close to each other while Sir Therius removes your metal arm to get untangled, Count Arganan?! I-I find it hard to believe that it is merely an accident!"

"You..." If he could, Arganan would have grabbed his rapier and run him through. Of course, though, he couldn't as he was preoccupied with untangling himself from Therius. "I swear, if you spread this to the others-"

"I won't," Zesha murmured, though Arganan had the idea that he probably would. The King of the Gurak seemed to grin slightly, before recomposing himself and speaking. "I was watching the entire time, if you must know. I see you found out how to use that power of yours, Count Arganan..."

Arganan shrugged slightly as Therius slipped out from underneath him and helped him stand, the metal arm alraeady removed. "I honestly don't know how I could have done anything to give me that strength to fight Sir Therius just now. It just started glowing out of its own accord and then..." He winced. "Then what you saw just happened."

Therius looked to Arganan's right hand quietly. "I believe that the Outsider works as a buffer for your physical strength. When you were glowing with the aura flickering around you because of the Outsider activating its power, you were strong enough to even push me back when I put up my shield. Had the Outsider's power not activated, I doubt you would be able to-no offense, of course."

"No offense taken..." Argaann felt weak in the knees, and he collapsed onto a knee, panting a bit. "That was...a hard bout of training..."

"Count Arganan!" Therius tried to help him up. "Are you alright?!"

Arganan pushed him away slightly with his one arm. "I am fine. I...I think I'll get rest, if that is alright."

"Do you wish for me to accompany you back to your room?"

Arganan glanced at Zesha, who was merely watching them quietly, and then looked to Therius, who looked completely concerned, before nodding.

"Yes."

Well. Explaining to Calista that Therius' sword impaled itself straight through Arganan's metal arm was going to be certainly difficult. And probably awkward, too.


	5. Different but Similar

_5. Different but Similar_

Arganan stood opposite Zesha in the Military Wing. A week of training had flown by, and now Arganan was ready to face the Gurak King in battle.

...At least he hoped so. Time and time again, with Zael and Calista telling Arganan about how Zesha's swordsmanship was extraordinary and the fact that he could shoot Bolt Arrows and teleport all over the place, he felt nervous about fighting Zesha. It had been years since he fought-the last time he fought was during the war before the war the Gurak Continent and Lazulis had over the Outsider. Now he was returning to the battlefield. He had plenty of experience from battling in the past and training (as well as help from Therius), so that would help him a bit, but there was no telling how this battle could go until it was done with.

The King of the Gurak stood a short distance from Count Arganan, wearing the exact same armor that he had once wore during the war over the Outsider. He took out both his swords, the East Wing and West Wing, before speaking.

"Are you ready, Count Arganan?" He seemed to chuckle darkly. "How I have longed to fight you for quite a while..."

Arganan watched him and said nothing, taking out his sword and holding it steadily in both hands. He nodded to Zesha, to tell him that he was ready to fight.

There was a pause, before Zesha summoned a Bolt Arrow and fired it at him. Arganan immediately dodged, rushing out of the way. Zesha teleported from where he was standing, to end up right in front of Arganan and swiping at him with his East Wing. Arganan blocked it, but he was pushed back by the force of the attack.

Zesha smirked as he twirled the West Wing in his other hand, slowly walking towards Arganan.

"You're not as tough as I thought."

Arganan glared, still gripping his sword in both hands as he made eye contact with the Gurak King. "You haven't seen all of me."

The King of the Gurak looked amused, before rushing forwards and swiping at Arganan, forcing the older man to block the attack. At the same instant, the Outsider's mark on his hand lit up with a white colour, and Arganan counterattacked, elbowing him harshly in the chest. Arganan winced, backing away slightly as Zesha was pushed back by the blow of his counterattack.

"I have to stop forgetting that he wears armor..." Arganan muttered under his breath.

Zesha looked to his chest, noting that there was just the slightest dent in the chestplate. He grinned, looking up at his opponent.

"This just got a lot more interesting."

The two rushed at each other, exchanging blows with their swords at once. All Arganan could focus on, it seemed, was defending himself. He wasn't going to get anywhere in the duel by just being defensive completely, so Arganan opted to switch tactics. Taking a deep breath as he blocked another hit from Zesha with his sword, he quickly summoned the Outsider's power again, and he felt strength surge through him. Charging forwards, he swiped at Zesha, landing a hit and forcing the Gurak King to back away.

Zesha grunted as he got hit, before a smile appeared on his face.

Arganan stared at him with a hard look. "What's that grin for?" He asked as he blocked one of Zesha's blows, counterattacking.

Zesha blocked the hit with both his swords, now smirking. "Oh it's just...really, I think we're more similar than you think."

"What do you mean by that? We're not the same." He slashed at Zesha several more times but kept missing. "I was a Count of Lazulis, and you're King of the Gurak. And you have two swords and two eyes while I only have one of each. Not to mention that I can actually use magic other for attacking and you can't. There isn't anything in common!"

"You're mistaken." Zesha quipped as he dodged another attack. Arganan growled, summoning a light magic attack and shooting it at Zesha, but he missed. "We are both male, that is one thing. And..."

That was when he disappeared, reappearing behind Arganan and holding one of his swords against Arganan's throat. The older man's eyes widened in surprise, but didn't move-if he did move, his throat would have been slit too easily.

Zesha chuckled, his hot breath brushing against Arganan's ear.

"You and I like using deception to gain an advantage for ourselves. You with your political power, and me in battle. We're...more similar than you think."

Arganan took a deep breath, staying still and closing his eyes. He paused for a moment, activating his Outsider's power before pushing Zesha off him, getting the blade away from his throat in the process, and he pointed his sword at Zesha, glaring at the Gurak King.

"Don't. Compare. Us. Together." He hissed, before rushing at Zesha and slashing at hi-

...

-Arganan fell to his knees as he felt his chest suddenly tighten. He gasped for breath, but no air was entering his lungs. Zesha's eyes widened in shock, and Arganan immediately felt dizzy, his vision blurring rapidly. He barely had an idea as of what was happening aside from Calista screaming in panic, Arganan himself struggling to breathe, and his world went black.

* * *

><p>He would wake up to see concern etched across Sir Therius' face.<p>

"Therius...?" Arganan realized how dry his throat was. "W-water...please..."

Therius nodded quickly, helping him sit up in bed with a pillow to support him, handing him a glass of water. Arganan drank slowly, carefully, as Therius spoke.

"You're in your room, Count Arganan, if you must know. You collapsed during your duel with Zesha."

"I did?" The older man managed as he looked to the white knight.

Therius nodded. "Yes, you did. It could have been life threatening, had Calista not started using healing magic on you moments after you went completely unconscious. She's extremely worried for you-knowing now that you are awake and...relatively well will relieve her."

Arganan thought about his niece for a moment. He remembered her panicked screams still from when he first activated the Outsider's power to have that Lazulis canon fire at the Gurak, and then just as he collapsed during the duel with Zesha. Maybe...maybe Calista still cared about him...? He would have to think about it another time-something else was pressing at his mind, the Outsider's power.

"Therius, how many times did I use the Outsider's power during my duel with Zesha?"

Therius blinked. "I believe you activated it three times. Why do you ask?"

"I felt like..." He looked to the Outsider's amrk on his hand. "Like I kept getting physically weaker after using the Outsider's power to buff myself in battle. It could be what caused me to collapse, my use of it that is."

Therius frowned. "Then it's dangerous-for you, that is. Using it on yourself only makes you weaker. It could even kill you, like it tried to earlier." He took a deep breath. "Count Arganan, I know it is not my place to command you, but I at least request that you don't use the Outsider's power from now on until-"

"No."

The white knight stared at him. "You want to die?" He asked.

"Of course I don't want to die!" The older man snapped, feeling strength return to him. "But there has to be a way that I can use this power and not die."

The white knight and the Count just both stared straight into each other's eyes, as if trying to fight against each other. Eventually, Therius looked down.

"I...apologize for what I said just now." He spoke slowly. "It was out of my place. It won't happen again."

Arganan let out a breath, leaning against the pillow behind him. "It's fine, Therius. If anyone has any right to chastise me it should be you and Calista."

Therius didn't say anything at first, taking the now-empty cup of water from Arganan before speaking.

"...Thank you."

Arganan looked up at him. "It is no problem."

He just hoped that things for him were not going to get any worse than this.


End file.
